Mentorship at The I Got You Project

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The I Got You Project mentorship program connects committed adults with young people aging out of foster care who need consistency, guidance, and real-world support as they transition into adulthood. Mentorship is not about rescuing — it’s about showing up, listening, and walking alongside someone as they grow.

Young adults aging out of foster care often face adulthood without a support system. Research consistently shows that youth with stable mentors are more likely to:

• Develop confidence and self-worth

• Stay engaged in education or workforce pathways

• Avoid homelessness, incarceration, and substance misuse

• Build long-term resilience and healthy relationships

Mentorship provides what systems often cannot: human connection and accountability.

Mentors at The I Got You Project support participants through:

• Consistent check-ins and relationship building

• Encouragement through the 12 Keys to Leveling Up journey

• Guidance around life skills, identity, and purpose

• Exposure to healthy routines, boundaries, and decision-making

• Support without control, pressure, or dependency

Mentors do not replace parents, therapists, or caseworkers — they provide presence, perspective, and stability.

The safety and well-being of our participants comes first.

Our mentor process is informed by evidence-based best practices used by leading mentoring organizations, including guidance aligned with New York Mentoring Partnership. All mentors are required to complete:

• A formal application

• An interview process

• Background checks

• Required onboarding and training

• Ongoing adherence to boundaries and conduct standards

This ensures mentorship is safe, consistent, and trauma-informed.

We welcome mentors who are:

• Reliable, grounded, and emotionally mature

• Able to commit to consistency (not just availability)

• Respectful of boundaries and structure

• Aligned with our mission and values

• Willing to learn and grow alongside participants

You do not need a specific professional background.

You do need integrity, patience, and follow-through.

Mentorship is designed to be sustainable:

• Structured engagement (not on-demand access)

• Clear expectations and support from our team

• Commitment discussed and agreed upon during onboarding

We value mentors who can show up consistently, not sporadically.

As a mentor, you will receive:

• Clear guidelines and expectations

• Training and orientation

• Ongoing support from the I Got You Project team

• A structured program framework

• The opportunity to directly impact a young person’s life in a meaningful way

This is a partnership, you are not doing this alone.

To protect participants and ensure alignment:

• We do not accept informal or drop-in mentorship requests

• All mentors must complete the full onboarding process

• Mentorship begins only after approval and training

This structure allows us to serve young people with care, consistency, and integrity.

“No one needs to grow up alone''

Thank you for your interest in mentoring with

The I Got You Project.

All mentors must begin with our application process.

Once submitted, our team will review your application and contact you regarding next steps.